If you’re an over-consumer of content like me, then you’re probably the type to spend your pre-flight hour scrambling to download YouTube (or other streaming service) videos to watch on the plane. Welp, thanks to Delta, they might have just eliminated that step from your travel routine.
The airline announced a partnership with YouTube at CES 2025 that brings ad-free streaming of popular creators directly to flights. Creators like Kinigra Deon, MrBeast, Nick DiGiovanni, and Michelle Khare — plus plenty of others you probably already binge at home — are now available to watch on the seatback screen or stream via the plane’s free Wi-Fi, no ads included.
“This partnership was born from a simple but powerful insight: our customers love YouTube,” said Julieta McCurry, Delta’s Vice President of In-Flight Entertainment and Connectivity. She added that teaming up with a platform so many travelers already use daily makes perfect sense. “As two leaders in our respective spaces, each with a legacy of innovation and a deep commitment to serving as agents of human connection, Delta and YouTube are uniquely positioned to deliver an unmatched customer experience – one that meets you where you are and helps you discover more of your world.”
The content spans travel vlogs, cooking shows, comedy, lifestyle content, and podcasts. There’s also kid-friendly programming from channels like Mother Goose Club for parents who need backup entertainment options mid-flight.
Now just because I lost my Platinum status (make Washington D.C. a hub, Delta. Please and thank you), doesn’t mean that other SkyMiles members aren’t getting something extra out of the deal. When you log into Delta’s wifi on domestic flights, you unlock a 14-day free trial of YouTube Premium without needing to enter payment info. That trial keeps going after you land, which means two weeks of ad-free viewing even when you’re back on the ground.
Not to mention, the partnership extends beyond just what’s on your screen. Delta’s boarding music now comes from YouTube Music too. The airline worked with flight attendants to choose instrumental tracks that set the right tone when passengers are getting settled.
Miguel Quiroga, Vice President of Product Partnerships at YouTube, said the collaboration is about meeting audiences wherever they are, even cruising above 30,000 feet. “We’re incredibly proud to bring the best of YouTube and YouTube Premium to the Delta in-flight entertainment experience,” says Quiroga. “Whether it’s on TVs, phones, or now seatback screens, there’s so many ways to experience YouTube’s top creators, culture-defining podcasts, and fan-favorite music content. All of which is made even better with free access to YouTube Premium, so travelers can enjoy all of YouTube and YouTube Music uninterrupted.”
Delta’s rolling this out across its entire fleet, which includes more than 930 aircraft with over 165,000 seatback screens. For frequent flyers who’ve cycled through the standard movie offerings one too many times, having access to the same content library they watch daily changes the calculus of how to spend time in the air. And with YouTube now just a click away at 30,000 feet, pre-flight prep just got a whole lot easier (now next order of business, getting TikTok on the back of those screens too!).